“Their fingers have eyes…Their ears have vision…Their hearts of courage…Their lives are full of zeal.They are deprived of vision. Yet their vision is fair and realistic. Lets encourage them !”

Commemorating the birth of Louis Braille Jan 4 1809, the inventor of Braille script, the World celebrates on Jan 4 1809 as ” WORLD BRAILLE DAY “.

For the first time JET & VTSeva have organized a walkathon in a grand scale in India and Australia on Jan 4 2008 to bring awareness of the blind people under the guidance of HH Sri Swamiji, at following locations:

Hyderabad, India – 10 am – From Baghlingampally (Sundarayya Park) to Secunderabad (Zymkhana Grounds) Vijayawada, India – 6 pm – Passes through Besant Road Vizianagara,, India Vishakhapatnam, India Nellore, India Zaheerabad, India Karimnagar, India Rajahmundry, India Warangal – India Several other districts, cities and towns – India Melbourne, Australia – 4 pm Sydney, Australia – 4 pm Brisbane, Australia – 4 pm World Braille day, Walkathon in Hyderabad – India Walkathon was arranged in several major cities and towns in Andhra pradesh The walk was mapped connecting the two twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad for a 6 Km (4.5 miles) walk. The walk started from Baghlingampalli on Jan 4 at 10 AM. Over 11,000 people walked the route for 6 Km to final destination ‘Zymkhana Grounds’, holding inspiring placards, banners, and distributing pamphlets about the blind awareness. The walk was to promote awareness for the blind in the area and to bring support to the visually challenged and to help improve their lives.

The day before the walkathon… All the plans were in place for the scheduled walkathon on Jan 4. But ! around midnight an unexpected call from police officials came with concerns for the approved route for the walk because of traffic issues. Hope good days are ahead when the government would patronize noble causes.

As hectic as one can imagine to change everything in the eleventh hour, walkathon involving thousands of supporters, which was already planned and approved. HH Swamiji expressed the consequences of a major change as literally there was no time to communicate to all the participants, organizers, and supporters when a few hours were left for walkathon to start.

Inspite of all the risk involved, considering the police authorities suggestions, keeping all the participants in traffic in view, HH Swamiji, decided to make only small changes so that the program uninterruptedly.

Finally, it was decided that the participants will walk from Baghlingampalli to Indira Park (about 3.5 Km) and then ride in the vehicles arranged by VTSeva, to avoid further delays to the rush hour traffic. The vehicles drove from Indira Park to Bantia Gardens, adjacent to Zymkhana Grounds. Thanks to all Bantia family members for enthusiastically arranging all the necessary facilities at the new venue of destination of the walkathon in a few hours of notice. In addition, thanks to all school buses and private vehicles provided for transportation. Without the hard work of the organizers, transporting the people from Indira Park to Bhatia Gardens would not have been possible.

The day of the event, Jan 4… Thousands of people, volunteers, participants, children, students and many officials came to Baghlingampalli by 9.30 AM for participating in the Walkathon.

Many dignitaries and VIPs at the state level have shown their support by participating in the walkathon. Andhra Pradesh State Minister for Home Affairs, Sri Jana Reddy, Minister for Education Sriman D.Srinivas, Minister for Rural Welfare, Sri Chinna Reddy, Minister for Transport Sri Kanna Lakshminarayana, Sri Hanumantha Rao M.P, Sri.Kishan Reddy local MLA, Nayani Narasimhareddy MLA have all arrived at Baghlingampalli. Students and children from many schools and universities, and especially the blind children from Nethra Vidyalaya Junior College, thousands of people from all walks of life including professors, doctors, teachers, engineers, business, IT, administrators and people of all religions and race, have arrived to participate in this first huge monumental walk for a noble cause.

VTSeva President Sriman E.Ramarao, JET President Sriman Ch.Ramachandra Reddy, JIVA Chairman Sriman J.Rameswara Rao, Prof.Purushothama Rao, Badari Kshethra BAKASS President Sriman Ramanadham, along with their team members, volunteers and coordinators have worked methodically. The event commenced with a prayer conducted by HH Swamiji, followed by a brief talk about Louise Braille and his service to the blind people. HH Swamiji, blessed all the school children who participated from 32 schools from Secunderabad and Hyderabad India. HH Sri Swamiji’s scintillating message made a memorable mark on the tender hearts of school children. They were excited to listen to Sri Swamiji speaking so sweetly touching the inner values of life in a more practical way. HH explained the importance of this occasion to children and elders to invoke a great thought, and give a message and inspiration.The other dignitaries also spoke on the occasion about the nethra vidyalaya junior college for blind, commending their talents and determination.

The magnitude of the first walkathon was a sight to see, a spiritual uplifting, with bounds of joy and hope resonating everywhere. Most of the participants had T-Shirts on with different colors and many t-shirts were also distributed to the people along the walk. Children marched with banners with message of hope and people walked with placards giving inspiration and information about the blind people. The banner with the ‘big eye’ carried by the volunteers was a great attraction to all the people. Volunteers distributed literature about the event and their need to support the cause.

HH Sri Swamiji stopped intermittently during the walk, and blessed all the people along the way encouraging them, giving them T-shirts, literature etc. HH Sri Swamiji’s drive and passion for the noble cause has been the panacea for all the people to enjoy the spirit of servitude and experience the sweetness of inseparable spiritual relationship. A generous donor distributed cookies to all the participants in the walk and the volunteers distributed water for the participants. NCC cadets and teachers where mandating the children during the walk.

As the walk reached midpoint to Indira Park, everyone was cheering and rejoicing to hear HH Sri Swamiji’s message. HH Sri Swamiji blessed everyone, and inspired the people to take part in serving the noble causes of our society by volunteering to the disabled, underprivileged, physically handicapped, and needy people. He also appealed to the government to implement special fa cities which will improve the life of such people. HH Sri Swamiji honored all the blind and disabled people who participated in the event.

Immediately following the walkathon HH Sri Swamiji left to Vijayawada to participate in another walkathon scheduled at 5.PM on the same day, in which about 15000 people were expected to participate.

JAN 02 2011 – “WORLD BRAILLE DAY”By VT Hyderabad

Commemorating the birthday of Louis Braille (Jan 4), the inventor of Braille script for blind, Netravidyalaya Junior and Degree Colleges collectively celebrated the World Braille Day on 2nd from 2PM to 5 PM

Founder of Netravidyalaya HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji released a Pamphlet about the NETRAVIDYALAYA Institutions, in the presence of Honourable dignitaries.

The programme was conducted by the students Kanthisri and Nagaraj with the co-operation of the President Smt. Gayatri Anil Kumar, Secretary Sriman Subbaraju, Treasurer Smt.Vijayalakshmi and other members of the Netravidyalaya College Committee. Principal of the Junior College Sriman V.Madhava Rao and Principal of the Degree College Smt. Vanisree gave the Academic report. Students spoke about the wonderful facilities and the education provided free to them by the blessings of HH Sri Swamiji. JET and JIVA are running these colleges in encouraging and empowering the students with high-tech skills.

Teachers and Volunteers who were doing yeomen service to educate and support these Visually challenged students were recognized and honoured on this occasion. HH Sri Swamiji offered Mangalasasanams to all the participants, well wishers, and the supporters and said that we are inviting students from all over India to utilize this opportunity. Each student was given a laptop in the class room itself. They learn with the help of laptops equipped with screen reader software like Jaws. Students give their final exams also on the laptops ( No Scribe) for which Government has given special permission and they write exams along with regular students. Osmania University is also encouraging these Blind students to learn on the laptops. This opens a new concept in the World of Education to Blind. This endeavour is empowering these students avoiding their dependability on others to the maximum extent and also in proving their abilities to serve the society in various ways.

In the World, this is a unique Institution of this kind serving the Blind Community. For the first time in the history of Education to the Blind, this is a new Paradigm that was successfully proven. All the dignitaries appreciated this initiative and use of modern technology for the otherwise abled children to grow to new heights in their career equally with the regular students.

Students gave admirable performance of a few cultural items highlighting the importance of Braille and Braille Script and Value Education. Students were given Prizes for their wonderful performance. Two students from Netravidyalaya college were selected for SOUTH ZONE CRICKET TEAM on behalf of Andhra Pradesh and also they stood as the winners. Prizes were given to them by the Principal Secretary SRiman Biswal ji Vice Chancellor Sriman Tirupati Rao with the blessings of HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. Students also gave good performance in different competitions like Typing dictation, Writing Braille, Chess, Cricket, Skipping. Academically their performance was highly appreciated. Prizes were given away by the dignitaries to the accomplishing students.

“ They want to see …. But your Hearty Encouragement ”

JAN 04 2010 – “WORLD BRAILLE DAY” By VT Hyderabad

“Their fingers have eyes…Their ears have vision… Their hearts of courage…Their lives are full of zeal. They are deprived of vision. Yet their vision is fair and realistic. Lets encourage them !”

Commemorating the birthday of Louis Braille (Jan 4), the inventor of Braille script for blind, a walkathon to bring awareness of blind people was organized by VT Kukatpally, Hyderabad on Jan 4th 2010.

In this regard, a meeting was organized by Sriman Yogesh in the meeting hall of Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari Temple at 10 am. Several officials including Smt. Gayatri – Current President of Nethra Vidyalaya Committee, Sriman Subbaraju, Sriman Panduranga Rao – current members attended the awareness meeting. Previous Nethra Vidyalaya committe members Sriman Varakumar Gupta, Sriman Santhosh Kumar, Sriman Padmanabham also attended the gathering. Sriman Srikanth Reddy from Boston gave an inspiring message to the volunteers.

“WORLD BRAILLE DAY”By VT Bengaluru

“Their fingers have eyes…Their ears have vision… Their hearts of courage…Their lives are full of zeal. They are deprived of vision. Yet their vision is fair and realistic. Lets encourage them !”

On the eve of World Braille Day, Bengaluru VT has organised a Charity programme, “Nada Jyothi” a Jugalbandi Musical Concert by Sriman Dr. Kadri Gopalnath on Saxophone and Sriman Pravin Godkhinde on Flute. They were accompanied by Sriman “Shivu” Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma on Mrudangam, Sriman Rajendra Nakod on Tabla and Sriman Amrit on Khanjira. The programme was organised in Shalini grounds Jayanagar Bangalore from 6 pm to 9 pm. The programme started with the Blessings of HH Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji’s message on Video followed by a presentation on School and College for the Blind supported by VT. Last year VT conducted a similar programme and supported the school of Ramana Maharshi for the Visually Challenged of Bengaluru.

Dr. Shubha anchored and coordinated the event. She introduced VT and its activities to the audience and gave a wonderful introduction about all the artists and the purpose of the programme.

The event was well organised, and the exceptional performance of the generous artists and their advice to the listeners to take part in supporting the social causes like “Educating Blind Children” was the highlight.

World Braille day, Walkathon in Rajahmundry – Andhra Pradesh – India

The VTSeva of Andhra Pradesh India, conducted its first awareness walk for the blind in Rajahmundry successfully, under the guidance of H.H.Sri Ahobala Jeeyar Swamiji.Nearly 500 students and volunteers participated in the rally.

Picture: College Students who participated in the rally with Sri Ahobala Jeeyar Swamiji.

Before the start of the rally a carnatic musical concert by Sri Balakrishna (visually challenged) and party was arranged by VTSeva member Sri Shyam Sundar.

The rally started from Hindusamaj, through Vijayatheatre, Big mosque, Fortgate, Devichowk, Gokavaram bus stand and finally ended at Subrahmanya Maidanam.All throughout the rally cookies and water was distributed by the donor Sri Nyapathi Narasimharao (trustee Hindusamaj).The program was supervised by Sri Er.M.V.V.Ramanujam (President, VTSeva, Rjy).